14.01.13
Community transport demand ‘spiralling out of control’
There is now ‘overwhelming’ demand for transport to hospital appointments, Suffolk Community Transport (SCT) has warned.
In 2011 NHS Suffolk and NHS Norfolk introduced a single point of assessment for free transport, to prevent patients who could afford to pay for, or use their own transport, from requesting it for free. The move has saved the NHS £300,000.
But SCT, an umbrella organisation, has found that demand for community transport has increased by 31% and is leading to more and more problems with access to hospital appointments. The organisation has sent a letter to NHS representatives, requesting an urgent meeting to resolve the problem.
John Phillips, SCT director, said: “The problem is now spiralling out of control and urgent attention to this issue is required.
“The community transport operators are now at breaking point and are no longer able to meet the rising demands for hospital transport under the current arrangements. This situation can only end one way and that is leaving many vulnerable people unable to find a way of getting to their hospital appointment, which could seriously jeopardise their longer term health and cause much stress to their loved ones. The NHS cannot simply keep brushing this issue under the table; we need to sit down together and find a practical and sustainable solution to this problem.
“Many people are currently being denied the transport to hospital appointments they deserve. Patients are being led to believe by NHS call centres, and in some cases medical professionals, that community transport is free and can provide them with all their transport needs and this is not the case. This often results in a never ending round of phone calls and we have on several occasions had to deal with patients stressed and in tears worrying about how they will get to their hospital for their appointments.”
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